A point-of-need platform for rapid measurement of a host-protein score that differentiates bacterial from viral infection: Analytical evaluation.

The objective was to evaluate the analytical performance of a new point-of-need platform for rapid and accurate measurement of a host-protein score that differentiates between bacterial and viral infection. The system comprises a dedicated test cartridge (MeMed BV®) and an analyzer (MeMed Key®). In each run, three host proteins (TRAIL, IP-10 and CRP) are measured quantitatively and a combinational score (0-100) computed that indicates the likelihood of Bacterial versus Viral infection (BV score).

ATF3 expression in cardiomyocytes and myofibroblasts following transverse aortic constriction displays distinct phenotypes.

Background: Activating transcription 3 (ATF3) is a member of the basic leucine zipper family of transcription factors. ATF3 is an immediate early gene expressed following various cellular stresses. ATF3 acts through binding to cyclic AMP response elements found in the promoters of key regulatory proteins that determine cell fate.

Observational cohort study of IP-10's potential as a biomarker to aid in inflammation regulation within a clinical decision support protocol for patients with severe COVID-19.

Background: Treatment of severely ill COVID-19 patients requires simultaneous management of oxygenation and inflammation without compromising viral clearance. While multiple tools are available to aid oxygenation, data supporting immune biomarkers for monitoring the host-pathogen interaction across disease stages and for titrating immunomodulatory therapy is lacking.

Methods: In this single-center cohort study, we used an immunoassay platform that enables rapid and quantitative measurement of interferon γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10), a host protein involved in lung injury from virus-induced hyperinflammation.

Early Cardiac Remodeling Promotes Tumor Growth and Metastasis.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that cancer and cardiovascular diseases are associated. Chemotherapy drugs are known to result in cardiotoxicity, and studies have shown that heart failure and stress correlate with poor cancer prognosis. However, whether cardiac remodeling in the absence of heart failure is sufficient to promote cancer is unknown.

JDP2 and ATF3 deficiencies dampen maladaptive cardiac remodeling and preserve cardiac function.

c-Jun dimerization protein (JDP2) and Activating Transcription Factor 3 (ATF3) are closely related basic leucine zipper proteins. Transgenic mice with cardiac expression of either JDP2 or ATF3 showed maladaptive remodeling and cardiac dysfunction. Surprisingly, JDP2 knockout (KO) did not protect the heart following transverse aortic constriction (TAC).

The Effects of Stretching Training on Cardiac Autonomic Function in Obese Postmenopausal Women.

Context • Menopause and obesity are associated with autonomic dysfunction. Unconventional exercise modalities that include an important flexibility component seem to improve cardiac autonomic function by lowering sympathetic tone and increasing vagal modulation of the heart rate (HR). Yet clear evidence of the effects of stretching training (ST) on cardiac autonomic modulation is limited.

ATF3 expression in cardiomyocytes preserves homeostasis in the heart and controls peripheral glucose tolerance.

Aims: Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) trigger a harmful stress-induced cardiac remodeling process known as cardiomyopathy. These diseases represent a serious and widespread health problem in the Western world; however the underlying molecular basis is not clear. ATF3 is an 'immediate early' gene whose expression is highly and transiently induced in response to multiple stressors such as metabolic, oxidative, endoplasmic reticulum and inflammation, stressors that are involved in T2D cardiomyopathy.

l-Citrulline supplementation attenuates blood pressure, wave reflection and arterial stiffness responses to metaboreflex and cold stress in overweight men.

Combined isometric exercise or metaboreflex activation (post-exercise muscle ischaemia (PEMI)) and cold pressor test (CPT) increase cardiac afterload, which may lead to adverse cardiovascular events. l-Citrulline supplementation (l-CIT) reduces systemic arterial stiffness (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV)) at rest and aortic haemodynamic responses to CPT. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of l-CIT on aortic haemodynamic and baPWV responses to PEMI+CPT.

Aortic Hemodynamics and Arterial Stiffness Responses to Muscle Metaboreflex Activation With Concurrent Cold Pressor Test.

Background: Overweight/obese young men have increased sympatho-excitation to cold and pain stress-induced by the cold pressor test (CPT) that may lead to abnormal hemodynamic responses. Concurrent CPT and exercise may augment the sympathetic-induced increases in aortic blood pressure (BP), pressure wave reflection (augmentation index, AIx), and arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, PWV). Since obesity is related with hypertension and sympathetic activity, we evaluated the aortic hemodynamic and PWV responses to muscle metaboreflex activation imposed by postexercise muscle ischemia (PEMI) concurrent with CPT in overweight/obese men.

Daily blueberry consumption improves blood pressure and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with pre- and stage 1-hypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background: Postmenopausal women have a high prevalence of hypertension and often develop arterial stiffness thereby increasing cardiovascular disease risk. Although antihypertensive drug therapies exist, increasing numbers of people prefer natural therapies. In vivo studies and a limited number of clinical studies have demonstrated the antihypertensive and vascular-protective effects of blueberries.

Whole-body vibration training decreases ankle systolic blood pressure and leg arterial stiffness in obese postmenopausal women with high blood pressure.

Objective: High ankle systolic blood pressure (SBP; ≥175 mm Hg) is associated with arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity [PWV]) and cardiac events. This study aims to investigate the effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) training on ankle SBP and its associations with changes in PWV and aortic SBP in postmenopausal women.

Methods: Thirty-six postmenopausal women were randomized to a control group (n = 12) or a WBV training group (3 d/wk) that was stratified by ankle SBP into WBV-high (n = 12) and WBV-normal (n = 12).

Effects of watermelon supplementation on aortic hemodynamic responses to the cold pressor test in obese hypertensive adults.

Background: Cold-induced increases in aortic blood pressure (BP) may cause adverse cardiac events in hypertensives by increasing ventricular afterload. L-citrulline supplementation reduces BP at baseline and during the cold pressor test (CPT), but the effect on wave reflection (augmentation pressure (AP) and index (AIx)) is controversial. Our aim was to assess the effect of L-citrulline-rich watermelon supplementation on aortic hemodynamic responses to CPT in hypertensive adults.

Effects of milk proteins and combined exercise training on aortic hemodynamics and arterial stiffness in young obese women with high blood pressure.

Background: Obesity and reduced muscle strength are associated with increased blood pressure (BP). We examined the impact of milk proteins and combined exercise training (CET) on BP, arterial function, and muscle strength (one-repetition maximum (1-RM)).

Methods: Thirty-three obese sedentary women (age = 30 ± 1 years; body mass index = 35.

Acute passive vibration reduces arterial stiffness and aortic wave reflection in stroke survivors.

Purpose: Impaired leg arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, PWV) and vasodilatory function are found after stroke. Acute passive vibration (PV) decreases leg PWV (legPWV) and pressure wave reflection (aortic augmentation index, aAIx) in healthy men. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of acute PV on aAIx and PWV in the paretic and non-paretic sides in stroke survivors.

Whole-body vibration exercise training reduces arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with prehypertension and hypertension.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of whole-body vibration (WBV) exercise training on arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity [PWV]), blood pressure (BP), and leg muscle function in postmenopausal women.

Methods: Twenty-five postmenopausal women with prehypertension and hypertension (mean [SE]; age, 56 [1] y; systolic BP, 139 [2] mm Hg; body mass index, 34.7 [0.